The present invention is related to a method of depositing a zinc oxide coating on a transparent substrate. More particularly, it is related to a chemical vapor deposition method of depositing a zinc oxide coating on a glass substrate, which coating is modified to create a zinc oxide coating having a combination of desired properties.
Deposition of doped zinc oxide coatings has been reported in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,522 describes processes for coating a substrate, in particular, substrates including shielded surfaces, coated with zinc oxide containing coatings. The described processes include the elements of contacting a substrate with a zinc oxide precursor, preferably maintaining the precursor coated substrate at conditions to equilibrate the coating, then oxidizing the precursor to form a coating containing zinc oxide. The substrates coated by the process for use in various applications, are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,743, which is related to the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,522, includes additional information related particularly to the zinc oxide coated articles made by the described process.
Additionally, formation of F—, Al— doped ZnO films by a sol-gel method has been described by Castanedo-Perez, et. al. in Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 2004, 82, 35.
Durable, coated glass products are increasingly in demand. It would be desirable to have zinc oxide coated glass products exhibiting high visible light transmittance, low emissivity properties and/or solar control properties, high electrical conductivity/low sheet resistance, and which could be manufactured cost effectively.